Family Service : 17 November 2002; Hebrews 13:1-8
Introductory talk :
Aim: to establish that Jesus is the eternal King of the Universe, and the unchangeable qualities he possesses.
Fill in the names of British Monarchs.
The House of Hanover
_______________________(1714-1727)
_______________________(1727-1760)
_______________________(1760-1820)
_______________________(1820-1830)
_______________________(1830-1837)
The House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
_______________________(1837-1901)
_______________________(1901-1910)
The House of Windsor
The name of the royal house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was changed to Windsor in 1917 due to anti-German feelings aroused by World War I.
_______________________(1910-1936)
_______________________(1936)
_______________________(1936-1952)
_______________________(1952-)
ANSWERS
The House of Hanover
George I (1714-1727)
George II (1727-1760)
George III (1760-1820)
George IV (1820-1830)
William IV (1830-1837)
The House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Victoria (1837-1901)
Edward VII (1901-1910)
The House of Windsor
The name of the royal house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was changed to Windsor in 1917 due to anti-German feelings aroused by World War I. George V (1910-1936)
Edward VIII (1936)
George VI (1936-1952)
Elizabeth II (1952-)
Following the Paul Burrell case and an allegation about Prince Charles' employees there has been discussion about the Queen's conduct, and even the future of the monarchy.
Who is the eternal King of the Universe?
verse 8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Dr S.M. Lockeridge was an elderly Pentecostal minister and prayed this powerful prayer shortly before his death.
"The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's a racial King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King. Well I wonder if you know Him?
David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show His handiwork. My King is the only one whom there are no means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shore of supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
Well, well, He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent.
Well, He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in high criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of proved theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King. He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
Well, He's the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's strong God and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. Do you know Him?
Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Yeah. Yeah. That's my King. My King, yeah.
His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Well. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable. He's indescribable.
Yes. He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. I'm coming to tell you, the heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explaining Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him.
Well, Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilot couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King. Yeah. Praise the Lord. That's my King.
Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but it's God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the evers, then, Amen.
Suggested songs:
Who's the King of the Jungle ? Jesus is King. The King is among us. Great is Thy faithfulness.
MAIN TALK
13 1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
cf verse 8, 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. repeat as memory verse
He is eternal and, therefore God. He was the God of the heroes of faith we looked at last week ( Chapter 11 ). He is the gracious God of today, the saviour and ruler of His people. He will be the God of tomorrow when His infinite rule will be seen and experienced by the whole Universe. People can only come to God through Him.
Jesus is the same, constant, can be relied upon.
Different from human 'friends' or relatives. Can be changeable, fickle.
Therefore we can rely on Jesus.
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." He will always be with us so we should be content with what we have. Contra acquisitive nature of the world. Love Jesus not money.
G. K. Chesterton on satisfaction: "There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more; the other is to desire less."
6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" We need never be afraid because he will always help us. He helped the Old Testament heroes of faith, he helps believers today, he will continue to help believers in the future.
George Müller (1805-1898) was an English evangelist and philanthropist. A man of faith and prayer, he established orphanages in Bristol. The orphaned children all had their dinners and were ready for bed. They always felt loved and cared for in the Bristol orphanage; little did they know that the orphanage had no money and there was no food for breakfast the next day. Though he did not know how, George Mueller was confident the Lord would provide for the orphans - after all, wasn't he a "Father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5)? Mr. Mueller went to bed, committing the care of the orphans to God. The next morning he went for a walk, praying for God to supply the orphanage's needs. In his walk he met a friend who asked him to accept some money for the orphanage. . . Mr. Mueller thanked him, but did not tell the friend about the pressing need. Instead, he praised God for the answer to prayer and went to the orphanage for breakfast
It was this unshakeable faith in God's providing hand which made the Bristol orphanages so unique. Some leaders visiting the orphanage asked the matron of the home, "Of course you cannot carry these institutions without a good stock of funds. . . Have you a good stock?" The matron quietly replied, "Our funds are deposited in a bank which cannot break." Tears came to the eyes of the visitors, who gave a donation to the work - a very timely gift because at the moment there were no funds on hand! The orphanage never accumulated a surplus of funds, but daily relied on the Lord for their provisions.
If you had a government that kept changing the laws of the land this would be confusing because we would not know what was 'right' or 'wrong' at a certain time. God's laws do not change. We should persevere, one of the messages of this epistle. We should persevere in following his unchangeable ways because he is not fickle. Continuing to live lives that reflect the changeless nature of His expectations for us, practical - love brothers, be hospitable, help prisoners, be pure.
Can you remember doing an experiment at school with iron filings on a piece of paper. When we poured the filings on the paper they fell into a untidy pile. Then we put a magnet under the paper and, as if by magic, the iron filings lined up... and followed the magnet's shape and force of direction."
Our lives are like those iron filings. Jesus says, "Put My presence and My kingdom underneath your life, see Me as a way of life and you'll find that your life will line up, have purpose and take My shape." That's His promise, and our choice.